YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE ISSUES THAT COUNT
Putting Saint and Greavsie together was a stoke of genius
Iwas saddened to hear of the passing of footballer and TV presenter Ian St John this week at theageof 82. Saint and Greavsie was essential Saturday afternoon viewing for a young lad who was football mad and these two were the first to bring fun and entertainment to football coverage.
Back in the day the BBC was far too stuffy for me. ITV, or TVS as we called it locally, was much cooler.
It was far more anarchic on the commercial station and it was the same for the sport offering too.
Boring old Football Focus appeared during Grandstand, whereas football got its own show on ITV.
Putting Ian St John and Jimmy Greaves together was a stroke of telly genius.
They were the Morecambe and Wise of the football scene.
Fun banter between the two and brilliant interviews and features behind the scenes with guests, the two being great footballers themselves, were part of the inner sanctum.
The Saint was an integral part of Bill Shankly’s legendary Liverpool team of the 1960s, the team that started the club’s dominance of the sport in England until 1991.
Jimmy Greaves was one of the greatest strikers England has ever produced. No doubt he would have started every England game during the 1966 World Cup save for an injury.
But ‘The Saint’ will also be remembered locally as a Pompey manager. Back in 1974, chairman John Deacon prised the young manager away from Scottish club Motherwell with promise of funds to return Pompey to the big time.
The investment didn’t come and eventually St John was sacked in 1977 after relegation to the Third Division which saw the start of our massive decline.
Fans at the time though will remember how he always gave his best, brought through youth players and made his team play attractive football. He was also well liked in Emsworth where he lived, regularly seen in local shops and always had time to speak to people.
Always remembered for his big smile and big heart, the game has lost a real legend. RIP Saint.